The Sketchbook JobBy PaBurkeSummary: First Dates are always the most interesting.Disclaimer: not mineRating: G-ish

“Hey, you can draw.”

Evan Lorne turned to face the woman hanging upside down on the monkey bars. She was yawning and stretching easily. She looked comfortable. She was pretty and blonde and in very good shape. She swung off the monkey bars and walked right up to him.

“Hi. I’m Parker. I can draw too. I used to think that everyone could, but Nate says that I’m special.”

A bit bemused, Evan shook her hand. “Evan Lorne.”

Parker had his sketchbook in her hands in such a smooth move that Evan had to blink. She flipped through it with no hesitation at personal boundaries. He had –at General O’Neill’s request- drawn the national museum complex. “I love it. It’s so accurate. Most people just skip over the security cameras. That can be a thing of beauty too.” She was so earnest and serious. She was crazy.

It was kinda cute.

“I like you. Wanna have sex?”

Evan blinked. He had not expected that. He glanced at his watch. He had time. He had finished early. He really, really shouldn’t. It wasn’t as if he played Kirk like Colonel Sheppard or Dr. Jackson.

But Parker was dragging him off and into a backyard tree house of an abandoned home. He had to go along.

She still had his sketchbook.*

The Security ID Job

Parker had just walked into the communal apartment/headquarters. She was very cheerful and bouncy, somewhat more so than he had seen before. Eliot didn’t know if it was within the range of normal Parker craziness or if he should be worried.

Hell, he was already justifiably worried.

Then someone knocked on the door. Hardison answered it and soon after yelped. By the time Eliot could see what was happening, the stranger had knocked Hardison down and out of the way in a distinctive Special Ops move and had his gun trained on Eliot. Eliot could respect that kind of man.

He was looking at Parker. “You took my ID,” he said mildly. “I need it back.”

Parker pouted at Nate. “I don’t have to give it back, do I?”

“Yes,” the stranger told Parker. “You do. I don’t want to kill anyone,” he was looking at Eliot as he said it and Eliot knew that the stranger would shoot to kill before the hitter could take him out, “but I need my ID. Now.”

“Parker, give him his ID,” Nate ordered.

Parker sighed dramatically, dragged her feet over and offered the ID. The stranger accepted it and waved Parker away. He glanced over the ID, making sure that it was his, then he placed it at his wrist.

From his place on the floor, Hardison frowned. “Did you just scan it?”

She sighed but handed it over. Again, the stranger waited until Parker stepped back and then he scanned the barcode. Though Eliot couldn’t hear anything, it must have been the right one. Finally he relaxed. “Thank you, Parker. Have a nice day.”

“Wait!” Parker called out. “Evan!”

He paused halfway out the door.

“You want to go on another date?”

Evan blinked. Eliot could sympathize, Parker made a lot of people do that.

Parker just ploughed ahead. “I haven’t stolen anything from that museum yet and that’s what you’re doing tonight. We could do it tonight, together. It’ll be a great date!”

Evan shook his head slowly and, if Eliot was paying attention, regretfully. “No Parker. I don’t mix business with pleasure. I do hope I see you again under less… stressful circumstances.”

“What’s wrong with now?” The crazy girl was genuinely confused.

Evan just said, “Goodbye,” and walked out the door. Parker chased after him. Eliot and the rest of the guys crowded around the open door just in time to see her tackle him. “You forgot to kiss me goodbye.”

Eliot saw the effective moves Evan used to get out of her grasp and noticed that the man was slow to extradite himself from Parker’s lips. Evan was very aware of where Parker placed her hands (he was not about to lose his ID again) and where Eliot and the others were standing. Finally, Evan stepped out of Parker’s embrace, whispered “Goodbye Parker,” kissed her once on her nose and walked away.

The whole team watched him go.

Parker bounced over to the guys. “Isn’t he great? I think I want to keep this boyfriend.”

“I give it a week before he goes screaming for the hills,” Hardison said.